The Dream of Sisters: The Choice of Sisters
by Goldmoonrider
Summary: Snowstar and her sister, Barktail, two sisters who were hidden from their father, Tigerstar, by their mother Sasha, have finally begun to make a new Clan. Snowstar knows that with Barktail's help, SnowClan would be in order. But when a mysterious cat walks into Barktail's dreams and tells her of a great life, Barktail has a hard choice to make. Who will she choose? Please review!
1. Alliences

**Alliences**

SnowClan

Leader - Snowstar- white tabby she-cat with blue eyes and black underbelly

Deputy - Redpelt - redish ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat - Silverpelt - silvery white she-cat with icy blue eyes

Warriors

Barktail - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a tan underbelly

Goldheart - gold-yellow she-cat with green eyes

Blueheart - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

Rainclaw - dark gray tom

Brambleheart - dark brown tom with amber eyes

Duststorm - light ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Cloudypelt - light gray tom with white underbelly

Apprentices

None

Queens

None

Elders

None

SandClan

Leader - Sandstar - pale ginger she-cat

Deputy - Juniperberry - dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat - Dropheart - light brown she-cat

Warriors

Sweetheart - light gray she-cat with blue eyes

Littlepelt - redish black tom

Dawnfire - small grayish she-cat with green eyes

Elders

Willownight - dark brown she-cat

Other Animals

Blackstripes - black and white striped tom with green eyes

Sasha - ginger she-cat with blue eyes


	2. Prolouge

A black she-cat padded down her normal trail which led to the river. When she got there, her paws were aching sore. She walked up to the flowing water and crouched down to take a drink. As she did, she heard a movment behind her. Before she knew it, something leaped on her and clawed at her flank. The black she-cat turned to see Thornscar, the new deputy of FireClan. What was he doing to her?! She had to fight back.

With claws extended, she reached out to give the dark cat a hard blow on the nose. But she missed and was forced to fall into the water. She felt herself moving with the river, moving towards the middle of it. Why had Thornscar done this? But she couldn't think about anything right now, she was about to drown!

The FireClan warrior tried to wrench her paws into a hole at the bottom of the river so she could haul herself to shore, but before she could, she felt herself falling through the air, water spalshing behind her. _A WATERFALL! _she screamed her head. Before she knew it, she hit her head on something sharp, and everything was black...

At the same time, somehting else was happening. A black and white tom was dreaming, visiting an old cat from StarClan.

The black cat greeted an old light brown tabby she-cat as she padded up to him. "Greetings, Heatherstar. Do you need anything from me?"

Heatherstar shook her white specked head, silver with age. "I haven't come for anything from you. I have come to tell you two things. Not long ago, just a minute before you were born, a tom named Blackstripes, the same name as you, died, laying beside a she-cat named Snowfire. You must go to Snow, now named Snowstar. She is building a Clan, not far from where your kits, Littlepelt and Sweetheart, live. You have the memory of Blackstripe, and he is in you. Snowfire is in Snowstar, giving her all her memories. Your kits were once named Littlekit, Yellowkit, Dawnkit, and Blazekit. Blazekit died of greencough not to long ago, but the others are still living. Find. Snowstar, and tell her about your past." She didn't give Blackstripes a chance to say anything before she went on. "The second thing yuou need to know, is a prophecy. _Stripes of Black and Snowy white will distroy evil that begs to live. Beside them, three stand, waiting to help, for their power together is greater than any before them, even stronger than the Three..._


	3. Chapter 1

Snowstar lashed her tail. This mouse was hers. The small brown animal sat on a rock, eating the remains of an acorn. Just as she was about to leap onto the prey, her thoughts stopped her. She had once been like this mouse, wandering alone, seeking food and shelter.

Before she has become a leader of SnowClan, Snowstar had lived as a rouge with her mother, Sasha, and her sister Barktail. When the sisters had finally been set free by their mother, Snowstar had headed out to make her Clan. With the help of her sister, Snowstar found her deputy, Redpelt, her medicine cat, Silverpelt, and her three warriors Goldheart, Blueheart and Windbird. They were still gathering warriors, and they had already been looking at a young tom named Rain, who lived with his brothers, Bramble and Cloudy, and his sister, Dust. Snowstar knew that soon they would become warriors. She had already asked them herself, and they said they would think on the offer. Today was the day to finish their thinking.

Suddenly, a loud thud cut through her thoughts. Snowstar looked up to see a dark striped pelt crouched over the once living mouse. Snowstar recognized the she-cat right away. It was her sister, Barktail.

"Hey, Barktail." Snowstar leaped onto her sister and gave her a playful swat on the ear.

Barktail rolled over and got to her paws. "Hey. I just saw Bramble, Dust, Rain and Cloudy on their way here. I think they gave in on the offer you told them about. I was just coming to find you when I saw the mouse, along with your tabby white pelt. So I thought I would just surprise you by taking the little beast down for you."

"Thanks." Snowstar said, fixing herself when she realized how down she had just sounded.

Barktail looked peered into Snowstar's eyes. "You ok, sis?"

Snowstar nodded. "Just taking in the cold air. I think it might snow soon. We need it so we can teach the others how to hunt in snow. They are in need of that skill so they can learn how to be a true SnowClan warrior."

"Yes, but I think we better get back to camp now. The rouges are probably waiting for us by now."

Snowstar nodded and followed her sister back to camp.

"Have you chosen your path?" When Snowstar and Barktail had gotten back to camp, the four rouges were waiting for them. Now it was time that the four brothers and sister would have to choose.

Rain spoke up for the group. "We have chosen."

Barktail was standing beside her sister in the small clearing. They were all surrounded by other cats who were in the Clan. Snowstar looked at her sister, then back at the rouges.

"What path do you wish to take?"

It seemed like and hour before Rain spoke. He seemed to build up all the courage he had inside him, then he spoke. "Snowstar, and all of SnowClan. We wish to become warriors of this mighty group, and make it even more fierce than it is so far."

Snowstar sighed. "Then from this day forth, you will be known as Rainclaw, Brambleheart, Cloudypelt and Duststorm. Use your skills well, new warriors of SnowClan." Then she pointed to a small pile of brambles that had a hole in it and was hollow on the inside. "You will sleep there from now on. You may go back to your shelters and get your things."

Duststorm stepped forward. "We have nothing. No prey, nothing. We threw it all into the river before coming here. We wanted to come here with a fresh start to a new life."

Snowstar was amazed at the young cat's words. She had never heard a cat say that coming into SnowClan was the begining of a new life. Maybe SnowClan would survive after all! Snowstar dipped her head, then let the four new warriors head to their new den. Tonight, they would have a good meal.

Barktail yawned and stretched out in her nest. She need sleep tonight. Last night she was on gaurd for the camp with Goldheart, the goldish she-cat who had just joined the day before. It was a good thing Snowstar had met the four rouges and made them warriors before night fall. Otherwise she would be on gaurd dark tabby curled up in her nest and let out a long sigh...

"Barktail"

Barktail lifted her head and looked around the den.

"Barktail!"

Now she stood up. "Who's there?"

She soon relized that she wasn't in the warriors den anymore. She was a misty forest, a place she had never seen before. _This must be a dream,_ she thought. _But if it is, why does it seem so real?__  
_

"Barktail." The voice came again, clearer now. "I have brought you here for a reason."

Barktail looked in the direction of the voice and saw the shape of a cat coming out of the fog that surounded her. Soon she was able to see the cat clearer. It was a ragged she-cat with black fur and amber eyes. She had never seen such a cat.

"Who are you?" Barktail both asked and wondered.

The ragged she-cat stepped forward."I am Nightpelt, and I was once a deputy of the FireClan. But I was cast out when I failed to save the leader's son and daughter from a terrible cat named Jaw Bone. But now is the time for you to step up and become the new deputy of FireClan. I am not telling you, I am pleading you."

Barktail was stunned. Why would a ragged old she-cat come and bring her to such a dark place, then ask her to join a Clan that this cat had been cast out of?

"I...I...ugh," Barktail shook her head. "If you are from StarClan, then you would know that I am already in a Clan. And without me, my sister would be broken!"

Nightpelt's eyes glowed in the dim light. "I know that, but I chose you because I know your sister. I have watched her. She will make it without you. FireClan needs you."

Before Barktail could replie, the ragged cat fadded away, and the dark tabby brown she-cat was left with only the wind to speak to...


	4. Chapter 2

Snowstar woke fast. The den was still dark, no light coming from the entrance except for the tiny gleam made by the moon. She made her eyes get used to the darkness, then she headed out of the den. The air was fresh with morning scents, so it was almost sunrise. The white tabby she-cat padded towards the fresh-kill pile when she was stopped by Barktail. She could see the she-cat's fur was standing on end. What had frightened her sister so much?

"Barktail, whats wrong? Your fur is standing on end as if you had just seen a badger!" Snowstar put her tail on her sisters shoulder and led her over to the fresh-kill pile.

Barktail shook her head. "I just met a ragged old black she-cat in a dream, and she said that I was destined to become the next leader of FireClan, whatever that is."

"Do you know what her name is?"

Barktail nodded. "She said her name was Nightpelt, and that she had been watching you and that even if I left you would be alright."

Snowstar blinked. "I don't know of any cat named Nightpelt, not unless she's been watching me from StarClan. Otherwise, I don't know any Nightpelt."

Snowstar heard Barktail sigh. "I wish it had just been a dream. I don't want to leave SnowClan, not at all."

Before Snowstar could replie, a crack sounded from the warriors den and out popped a cat's head, a redish she-cat with blue eyes. It was Redpelt, the new deputy of SnowClan. Snowstar becond the red warrior over to where she and Barktail were sitting.

The red warrior obeyed, sitting right next to Snowstar, wrapping her dark ginger tail around her forepaws. "I over heard you talking, and I may know this cay you speak of." Barktail looked up from scrapping the dirt off a stick. Redpelt went on. "She use to hang around my shelter when I was still a rouge. She used to talk to herself about cats that had betrayed her and a leader who looked just like me. I didn't understand it though at the time, but now I am fitting the pieces together."

"Hmm. Barktail," Snowstar looked at her sister. "Maybe you could talk to her again tonight, see why she wants you to leave SnowClan. This may be a Dark Forest trick, and if it is, make sure they don't find out anything about you." Barktail nodded, then padded away and headed through the entrance to the camp.

Snowstar looked back at Redpelt, who dipped her head to the icy blue eyed she-cat saying, "I better be getting on a patrol soon too. Those newcommers need a look around the territory, along with some training in the new snow up on Howl Point." Howl Point was were Snowstar had first stayed the night on the mountain, and is also where she had met up with a wolf who could speak cat. He had told her that the small cliff she was on was where wolves liked to howl to the moon, since it was in a perfect spot for looking at the moon.

Snowstar nodded, then padded over to her den and slid in. She curled up into her nest and heaved a sigh before drifting off to sleep.

Barktail checked the scent for any prey, but instead she brought in the fresh scent of a cat she had never smelled before. She followed the trail down to the frozen stream, where she found the remains of a rabbit. Who could have left it here? She sniffed the air again, seeing if she could smell anything else.

Just as she was about to move to another part of the territory to look for the intruder, she felt a sharp pain peirce her shoulders. She was pushed forward, then rolled onto her belly so she could look right into the eyes of an amber eyed tom she had never met before. She struggled to get away from his grip, but he didn't move a mouse length.

"Who are you?" the tom asked in a shaky voice. Was he scared of her?

_Hold it, I know this cat, but how? I reconize those eyes, but from where? _she thought to herself. Then the name hit her like a claw to the face. Blackstripes! Of course! He must have come to see Snowstar, the cat he loved the most. "Blackstripes? But, how, why?"

Blackstripes hushed her with his tail on her mouth. "I came to see Snowstar." _I knew it! _"And to help out with SnowClan. I heard some other rouges talking about how they had looked at SnowClan as if it were a flea. But I know they will soon regret those thoughts! With my help, SnowClan will be battle proof inside and out."

Barktail rolled her eyes. "Look. I know why you came. You wanted to see her to see if she has been hurt by any huge animal, correct?"

Blackstripes hesitated, then nodded. "Right." He said in a low voice, almost to embaressed to say anything.

"Alright then, follow me. And no more sneaking around like you were." Barktail nodded up to a ledge on the mountain, then, making sure Blackstripes was behind, she headed up the mountain.

Snowstar lifted her head and opened her eyes to light all around her. She wasn't in her den anymore, and she knew where she was. StarClan hunting grounds. Spottedleaf must have summoned her here to speak to her about Nightpelt.

The white tabby she-cat got to her paws and looked around her. When she looked to her left, she saw a beautiful torishell she-cat with glowing blue eyes was padding towards her. It was Spottedleaf, the cat who always saw Snowstar in her dreams. Snowstar dipped her head to the former medicine cat who had been murdered by the helper of Tigerstar, Darkstripe.

Spottedleaf dipped her head back to the SnowClan leader before speaking. "I have come to speak with you about Nightpelt." _Yes? _Snowstar thought to herself. Spottedleaf went on. "She was once a deputy of FireClan, who was sent back to normal warrior duties when she failed to tell a patrol about a sinkhole not far out of camp. Thornscar, an evil cat, was put in to replace Nightpelt. But his ambitions led him to killing Nightpelt when seeing her alone by a stream, such as Ashfur had tried to do when he had seen Hollyleaf alone next to a stream."

"So, she isn't dangerous, is she?" Snowstar asked in a quivering voice.

The StarClan warrior shook her head. "Of course not. But just make sure your sister thinks hard about leaving SnowClan."

Snowstar dipped her head to the torishell, then turned back to leave StarClan, but Spottedleaf's voice stopped her. "Snowstar." The leader turned around. Spottedleaf stepped forward. "There is one other thing I must tell you." Snowstar nodded. Spottedleaf took a long breath before telling Snowstar what she had to say. "Blackstripes is back."


	5. Chapter 3

Barktail padded up the trail like normal, though today it wasn't normal. Blackstripes was with her. She was taking him back to camp to see Snowstar, and also to help make the Clan. The old warrior had once been apart of WindClan, but when he had first caught a glance at Snowstar, he had fallen deeply in love. He had followed her to where she sheltered, leaving his Clan life behind just for the beautiful she-cat. When she had found out about his before life, she was horrified and told him to leave her alone.

After all Snowstar had told him, Barktail couldn't believe that Blackstripes would be coming back. She shook the thought out of her mind and stopped to see how far back the tabby tom was. He was practacly at the bottom, his paws moving slowly along the trail.

Barktail shook her head. "Whats taking a cat like you so long?"

The tom looked up from moving a stick out of his way. "You would be tired too if you had walked at least a hundred tree lengths."

"Well, try to run. The camps not far now." Before she could blink an eye, Blackstripes was already up the hill and almost past her.

He looked over his shoulder at her as he ran. "Now who you calling slow?" He laughed and looked ahead again as came up to the bramble wall of the camp.

Barktail darted up the hill and hauled him to the ground. He had a look on his face that looked as if he was enjoying her. She suddenly thought that she liked it to, but a pang of hatred flared inside her. _No! I can't let him get to me, I can't like him! _she yowl in her head.

She lifted herself away from Blackstripes and puffed herself up to look as strong as she had before. Barktail padded through the bramble entrance, making sure Blackstripes was behind her. Inside she could here the tustling of her Clanmates as they worked on the huneysuckle dens. As she led the tabby into camp, the cats inside stopped dead in their work and watched as Barktail left Blackstripes behind her and pad over to the den Snowstar slept in and disapear.

Inside, Barktail could here the soft breathing of her sister as she slept like a bear sleeping through winter. As she padded over to the nest her sister lay in, she saw the the white head of Snowstar raise and look into the eyes of the dark brown she-cat.

In a sleeping voice she said, "Whats going on? Is there any trouble outside?"

Barktail wished she could say no, but she couldn't dare lie to her beloved white tabby sister. "Acually, yes, there is." At this Snowstar shot out of her nest and leaped through the bramble entrance that let to the clearing in camp. Before Barktail could say anything, Snowstar had stopped dead in her tracks, looking up at Blackstripes.

Barktail saw the twinkle that had once been in the young toms eyes fade a way as they looked into Snowstar's horrified blue eyes. The dark brown tabby she-cat gulped as she saw her sister start to growl.

"How dare you leave your Clanmates again, just to come and find me!" Snowstar hissed. "They must be searching the whole territory for you! Go back emediatly!"

Blackstripes shook his head. "I can't. They left without me, to go on a great journey to find a new home somewhere safe. Twolegs have distroyed the forest totally now, and WindClan and the rest have gone to see a new life."

Shocked gasps filled the clearing as Barktail's Clanmates started to circle around the two she-cats and the tom. Barktail wonered the same thing. Why would twolegs take the forest the Clans had lived in for so long? She also wondered something else. What has happened to mother now? Did she leave with the others? And how was their father?

The tabby she-cat would see her sister was also shocked by this. "Did anyone say anyting about my mother, Sasha? Do you know if she's ok?"

Blackstripes nodded. "She's fine. I met her on my way here. She asked me if I knew if anything had happened to you guys."

"Thats good. I hope she can find a new home soon." Barktail had walked into the conversation.

Snowstar nodded in agreement. "Well, are you in need of anything, Blackstripes?"

The black tom nodded. "I wish to be in your Clan, and to help you out with building the dens and stuff."

"That can be arranged. From this day forth you will be known as Blackstripes a warrior of SnowClan." The rest of the Clan yowled his name to show their respect. SnowClan was growing.


	6. Chapter 4

Snowstar couldn't stop twitching in her nest. It was finally night, and all the warriors had gone back to their den, except for Blackstripes. He was on guard duty for the camp. And he stood alone tonight. Snowstar could almost feel the green eyes of the thin tom as they gazed into her den every so often. It was right across from the camp entrance, so he was able to see right at her. The white she-cat shook her head. She had to get to sleep. And soon, after hard consentration, she did...

Snowstar padded through the forest, seeking the best mouse she could find. But she wasn't Snowstar anymore, she was an apprentice, Snow_paw. _She was on her warrior assesment, and all she needed now was a nice, juicy mouse. Before she could find one, time past, and now she was a warrior. Tall and strong, her pelt gleamingin the sun. Snowstar stood in a camp that she had never seen before. Cats were all around her.

Soon, a dawn-colored she-cat padded over to her. The she-cat's eyes reminded Snowstar of Blackstripes for some reason she could not understand. The dawn colored she-cat then spoke. "Hey, want to come share a mouse with me, Snowfire?"

The name rung like a bell in Snowstar's head. Where had she heard that name before? Before she could take another step, a torrishell cat stopped her in her tracks. The camp backround fadded away and turned into a sunny forest with the sound of prey all around.

"Spottedleaf?" Snowstar asked once she reconized the beautiful StarClan cat.

"Of course, who did you think I was? Bluestar?" Snowstar thought Spottedleaf was serious, but there was no trace of anoyance in the former medicine cat's voice. Instead, there was a trace of amusment.

"Oh," Snowstar smiled. She hadn't seen Spottedleaf since the night before, and the torrishell usually saw her during the day when Snowstar went hunting alone sometimes.

"Snowstar," Spottedleaf's voice turned cold. "There is something I must tell you, about your vision. But you have to trust me on this. You have to keep calm for me, please."

Snowstar nodded. Spottedleaf went on. "The vision you had was sent because you must know of your past before it is to late. You were once a different cat, a cat who lived in a Clan that is now gone. Your name was Snowfire, and you had four kits. Their names were Yellowkit, Littlekit, Blazekit and Dawnkit. Their father was Blackstripes, who also had a different life before now."

Snowstar's mind twisted and turned. How could she have had a different life before now? And why didn't she remember anything of it? The questions seemed to stain Snowstar's white tabby fur.

"Why was I not told of this earlier?" Snowstar demanded.

Spottedleaf's eyes grew cloudy. "StarClan didn't think it was time you learned of this. We knew you were to young when you were with your mother. We decided to tell you now because we saw that, as a leader, you should be ready to face the sound of your kit's death. Dawnfire, or Dawnkit, died along with the rest of SandClan about a moon ago. Sweetheart and Littlepelt, or Yellowkit and Littlekit, are still alive. They live near the twoleg place just on the other side of SnowClan camp. StarClan and I think you should go and tell them who you are, and bring them to SnowClan."

Snowstar sighed. "If StarClan says I must, then I must. I will go then."

The sound of wind rustling the trees that surrounded the SnowClan camp woke Snowstar from her restless sleep. It was dawn now, and most of the Clan was up, repairing the dens that stood around the border of the dirt walls.

The white tabby leader got out of her nest and padded out of her den. She saw Redpelt dip her ginger head to Snowstar and pad over.

"Hey, Snowstar. How was your rest last night?" She asked.

Snowstar smiled. "It was good, but I need to go to the twoleg place to speak to some cats about joining SnowClan."

"Should I be coming with you? I could have Blueheart watch over the work for me if you wish." The deputy asked.

Snowstar shook her head. "I need Blackstripes to come with me. You need to stay here to watch the camp yourself."

Redpelt dipped her head and flicked her tail to Blackstripes to come over. "Snowstar needs you. Make sure she stays safe." The young she-cat growled.

The black tom nodded. Snowstar walked through the bramble arch and flicked her tail to becon Blackstripes to follow her out of camp.


	7. Chapter 5

Snowstar leaped onto a fallen tree and turned to look at Blackstripes, who was walking slowly up the hill. She couldn't believe a tom that had come so far from his home so fast, wasn't able to come up a hill faster than a tortise. The white-tabby leader just sighed and hopped back onto the trail, padding up to the black tabby tom who had his head facing down.

"What's the matter? Got a thorn in your paw or something?" Snowstar wanted to sound amusing, but she knew it would only make things worse.

The tom looked up. His eyes were dull with tiredness, and he looked ready to fall to the ground and sleep for as many moons as there will be in the rest of the world's time. "I'm just tired from my first travel. Anyways, why are we going to the twoleg place? And why should I come instead of your deputy?"

Snowstar couldn't tell him yet, not yet. "I am taking you because if you're going to be able to hunt and run in snow, you have to be able to travel all the way through a twoleg place after a full run."

"I don't believe you." The black and white tom said.

Snowstar let out a low growl. "Why did you come here, and the truth."

Blackstripes narrowed his eyes, sighing. After about what seemed like a moon, he answered her question. "I came here for my kits, our kits. If you can't remember anything of our past, we were once Snowfire and Blackstripes, both from SandClan. We had four kits, Littlekit, Yellowkit, Dawnkit, and-"

Snowstar cut him off. "Blazekit. I know. Spottedleaf told me about it just last night."

"Thats strange, Heatherstar came to me the night after I was abandoned by WindClan. She also said something else. Something about a prophecy. Did she say anything about it to you?"

Snowstar shook her head. "Nothing. So, how are we going to find the kits, and tell them about who we are?"

"I don't know." Blackstripes's tail rested on Snowstar's shoulder. "But I do know this. We are going to find them, and we are going to get everything right after that." Without a warning, the black and white tom licked Snowstar's ear and rubbed against her cheek.

Snowstar wanted to back away, but she couldn't. He felt warm, and she felt comforted, for the first time in her life. She could feel Blackstripes fur touch hers, and she wanted to stay like this forever. Nothing could seperate them now.

"Maybe this will work now, and we can have more kits." Blackstripes purred into Snowstar's ear.

Suddenly, Snowstar snapped out of loving mode and into reality. She backed away from Blackstripes, her mind going back to the old way it had been. "No, not yet. Not until we finish our duties. Maybe when we find the kits, just not now. Not until they come back to SnowClan and join fully."

She felt Blackstripes warmth disapear from around her. There was a cold whisp in Blackstripes's voice. "Oh, well, I guess we can later. I guess so."

Snowstar wrapped her tail around his tail, and they walked on to the twoleg place...

"Who goes there!" a loud hiss startled Snowstar as she and Blackstripes leaped into a clearing in the middle of the twoleg place.

Snowstar looked around, then back at Blackstripes. Then the hiss came again. "Who goes there I said! And this time, you better answer!"

Before Snowstar _could _answer, something knocked her onto her side and she felt claws dig into her shoulder. The white tabby looked up to see a light gray she-cat with green eyes. _That must be Sweetheart, _Snowstar thought.

"I am Snowstar, leader of SnowClan, and this is Blackstripes, my Clanmate." Snowstar tried to sound calm.

"Father?" the mew of a tom rang through the clearing, and Snowstar heard a thud before seeing a redish black tom land on Blackstripes and nip at his ear playfully.

Sweetheart sheathed her claws before helping Snowstar to her paws. "I didn't see you had brought our father with you. We are sorry we attacked you."

"I'm not just your father, but she is your mother. We are the reincarnations of your parents, or pretty much them." Blackstripes came and stood next to Snowstar before telling everything to the kits. He then ended with somehting Snowstar had never imagined him asking. "Will you join SnowClan?"


	8. Chapter 6

Barktail paced around the camp clearing. Where could Snowstar and Blackstripes be! They had been gone for what seemed like moons, and they hadn't been reported at the entrance to the twoleg place. The young dark brown tabby she-cat had set a few guards at the front of the twoleg place to watch for Snowstar and the new warrior. What would take them so long!

Barktail stopped walking when she saw Redpelt coming over from the fresh-kill pile, where Goldheart, Blueheart, and Rainclaw were eating together. "Redpelt, any word from the guards that are at the twoleg place?" she asked the ginger deputy as Redpelt come up to her.

But the blue-eyed cat shook her head. "None. I just think you should take your-"

She was cut off when Duststorm yowled Snowstar's name. "Snowstar!" the screech ran through the camp as the white-tabby padded in, followed by a beautiful she-cat and a handsom tom who looked somewhat like Snowstar and Blackstripes put together, and in the rear, Blackstripes himself came in.

"Snowstar, where were you! I was worried sick!" Barktail darted over to her sister and rubbed her cheek.

Snowstar nodded over to the two visitors. "We picked up some rogues on our way through the twoleg place. Blackstripes was just showing me around and showing me some good hunting and training places." Then she flicked her tail for the she-cat rogue to come up to the two sisters. "This is Sweetheart. She use to be a warrior ofa Clan called SandClan." then Snowstar flicked her tail for the tom, who was obviously Sweetheart's brother, to come up. "And this is Littlepelt. He's Sweetheart's brother."

"Are they going to join SnowClan, Snowstar?" Blueheart came up to the group, followed by Rainclaw, Duststorm, and Goldheart.

Snowstar nodded, yet Barktail could see that she was worried about something. "Yes, Blueheart. They are going to join. There is no need for a ceremony for them; they are already warriors." then she flicked her tail, again, at Sweetheart and Littlepelt. "Goldheart, please show these two the territory, then make some nests for them with Rainclaw. Then go get the guards from their posts at the Twoleg place. They need a rest."

Goldheart dipped her head to the white leader before flicking her tail for the new warriors to follow her out of camp. Once they were gone, Snowstar turned to Barktail and Blackstripes, who had moved over to stand next to the brown tabby she-cat. "You two need to go on a hunting patrol. You can take as much time as you need." Barktail caught a flash of something go through her sister's eyes, but it stayed for such a sort time that the tabby she-cat couldn't knoew what it meant.

But Barktail dipped her head anyways to her sister before following Blackstripes out of the camp.

* * *

Blackstripes stopped to looked back at Barktail. She was so beautiful, especially when the sun hit her pelt. He couldn't stand keeping the thought away. 'I am in love with a cat I hardly know!' he sighed. 'Oh well...'

He turned back and closed his eyes as he walked forward. The thought that he had made the first day he had come to SnowClan came back to him. He could see two kits, one light brown tabby tom and the other a black striped she-kit. They were playing outside the SnowClan nursery, rolling over each other. Watching them from beside the nursery entrance was Blackstripes and another cat, the kits' mother, Barktail. The black tabby tom could feel her tounge as Barktail rasp it over his cheek, showing her love for him. "Blackstripes..." he could hear her say. "Blackstripes. Blackstripes, look out!"

The yowl came through his memory. Before he knew it, WHAMM! right into a tree. He fell back into a a pile of leaves. He didn't feel good now, or did he? He pulled himself together and tried to stand up, but he couldn't, and fell back down into the leaf pile.

"Blackstripes!" Barktail ran over to the tabby tom and knelt down next to him. "Are you alright?"

"I... I think so." he tried to get up, but he fell back down, again.

Before he could say anything, Barktail got down close to him and started to lick his cheek. He could feel her for real now, her tounge even warmer to him. Her touch was unbearable, and he finally got up and rubbed on her cheek. He felt her trying to back away, but he knew his warmth would keep her with him for a long time. They were in love for the first time in their lives. Finally, he could have a REAL chance with her, not just some dream filled with kits and fantasy. This was real.

"Come on. We are mates now, and what are mates for?" she told him in her sweet voice, and with their pelts brushing each other, they walked off towards the heart of the forest.

* * *

"Where have you been!" Barktail heard the voice of her sister as the white tabby she-cat ran out into the camp from her den. "It's almost sun high, and you don't even have any food for the Clan!"

It was true that they had nothing. But they would be able to catch something later. Other patrols could go out now, without them. "I'm the one to blame. It is my fault, Snowstar." Blackstripes stood to defend her.

Snowstar came over and sniffed them both. "Well, you smell like prey, like you tried to catch some. Did you manage anything?"

Barktail shook her head. "We missed it all. Maybe we should just have hunting patrols with only one cat at a time, because two cats make to much noise."

Blackstripes nodded in agreement, and Snowstar seemed to understand. "Well, I will decide on that later. Right now though, you need to go rest. You have been out all morning to hunt, and you haven't gotten much sleep lately. Go rest while the sun is still young."

Barktail couldn't refuse. After what had happened to Blackstripes, she needed a break. She quickly nodded and padded, with Blackstripes beside her, into the warriors den and collapsed into her nest to curl up and sleep. But before she slept, she felt Blackstripes lick her fur, and she felt even more satified than before...

* * *

Barktail padded through StarClan hunting grounds. She reconized the trees, so she was able to identify where cats were and where they weren't. But before she could find out who was who, a cat that had jumped out in front of her meowed.

"Barktail, it is me, Nightpelt. Have you decided?" the old cat rasped in a annoyed voice. "Or are you having to much fun with your new mate to decide?"

Barktail growled. "I have decided. I think I will go join FireClan. My kits, if I have any, will be safer there. But..."

Nightpelt seemed to read her mind. "But you don't know how safe your sister will be, without you?"

Barktail nodded. "Do you know?" the young cat had finally grown to like this strange looking cat.

Nightpelt sighed. "Yes. The whole of StarClan knows. You can leave her. Snowstar will be alright. Now, go sleep and dream, for my own sake!"

Barktail quickly obeyed and curled up behind a elder bush and closed her eyes to darkness...


	9. Chapter 7

**To answer some of your questions, Barktail decided to leave in order to keep peace between her and her sister, because if her sister found out about the kit's father, Snowstar would think Barktail betray her. So, if you have any other questions, please ask them by PM, and not by review. Btw, Fallingpaw, Twitchpaw, Blazepaw and Scratchpaw are cats my auther friend made for me, Rock the Peachiness. Thank you.**

**-Goldmoonrider**

Snowstar lifted her head. The air in her den was damp, yet warm. She had been sleeping ever since the walk the day before with Blackstripes. The white tabby she-cat lifted herself out of her nest and padded out of her den. The air outside was scented with the sweet scent of oak trees and pine, both mingling together and creating a beautiful smell. Snowstar looked around her camp to see the Clan making a new den between the warrior's den and the apprentice's den, which no one slept in at the moment because there were no apprentices.

To her suprise, the white leader saw her medicine cat Silverpelt emerge from the medicine cat den for the first time in a long time. The medicine cat usually only came out of her den to gather herbs or just ask for advice from Snowstar. The cloudy white she-cat padded over to where Snowstar stood in front of her den and dipped her head to the leader in greetings.

"Hello, Snowstar." Silverpelt meowed

The leader dipped her head back. "Grettings, Silverpelt. What can I do for you?"

Silverpelt looked over at the working warriors at the new den and flicked her tail at where Goldheart worked next to Brambleheart. "Goldheart shouldn't be working in her condition, Snowstar."

"Why not?" Snowstar asked, baffled.

"Because, haven't you heard? She's going to have kits for StarClan sake!" Silverpelt replied.

Now Snowstar was really confused, yet joyful. "She's going to have kits? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Because, they thought you already knew! I mean, look at her belly. Her kits are soon to arive any day now."

"What?" the white tabby meowed. "I just thought she was stocking up for the winter, which speaking of that, snow should be coming soon."

Silverpelt huffed. "Well, the only reason why the warriors are building a nursery is because of Goldheart. She's expecting Brambleheart's kits, if you haven't noticed them going away on their own lately."

"Hey, Snowstar!" the leader turned her head to see Barktail emerging from the warriors den and walking over to Snowstar and Silverpelt. "Have you seen Blackstripes around yet? He wasn't in his den when I woke up."

Snowstar shook her head. "No, Why?"

Barktail stopped walking and shrugged slowly. "Just cause he wasn't in his den. I wanted to see if he could lead a dawn patrol."

"But isn't that Redpelt's job?" Silverpelt cut in. "She was the deputy last time I checked."

"Ugh, yeah, I forgot. Just needed to tell him something." The dark brown tabby she-cat turned quickly and padded over to help with the new den.

Silverpelt looked at Snowstar and Snowstar looked at her. "What was that all about?"

Snowstar shrugged. "Beats me. Anyways, I better get going to work on how were are going to get apprentices into the Clan. See ya."

"Bye, Snowstar."

_A week later..._

"Kick your paws out, Fallingpaw. That's it, keep kicking at your aponite." In a week Snowstar had already found four cats who would become apprentices; Scratchpaw, Blazepaw, Twitchpaw, and Fallingpaw. Scratchpaw was a golden tabby tom, along with Fallingpaw, though Fallingpaw was a she-cat with blue eyes and Scratchpaw had amber. Twitchpaw had a ginger pelt and Blazepaw had a light brown pelt.

Goldheart had also had her kits Windkit and Rosekit. Windkit was a light gray she-cat with green eyes and Rosekit was a redish she-kit with green eyes also. It was odd that neither of them looked like their father, who had a dark brown pelt. But they were growing fast, already playing around in the camp. The nusery had been finished just the night before the kits was born, not to late.

Now Fallingpaw and the others were in their first training practice, and they had already learned a lot from their mentors. Fallingpaw had Blueheart, Twitchpaw had Redpelt, Blazepaw had Sandstorm, and Scratchpaw had Rainclaw. Snowstar didn't know weither giving Scratchpaw to Rainclaw was right or not. The apprentice wasn't allowed to go to training practices until he was finished with taking care of Goldheart and the kits and taking out the warrior's bedding all by himself. But it might ahve also been something for Scratchpaw to learn once he grew up into a fully trained warrior. Life lessons are hard.

"Come on, Twitchpaw. Your named that for a reason! You should have good reflexes!" Redpelt was yowling at her apprentice as the small tabby faught off Fallingpaw with his new moves.

The apprentice pushed Fallingpaw away and darted underneathe her, giving her a neat blow with sheathed claws. Snowstar sighed and left the training hollow to go see Goldheart. Once she got back to camp, she headed over to the nursery and slipped inside.

"Snowstar!" an excited mew came from Windkit who was in her nest with her mother and her sister.

Snowstar saw Goldheart's head pop up as soon as she came in. "Snowstar, this is a suprise. What can I do for you?"

The white leader shook her head. "Nothing. I just wanted to check in on the new addition to the Clan, that's all. How are they?"

"This one's sleeping soundly," Goldheart nodded to Rosekit who was curled up next to her mother. "And this one _should_ be sleeping along with her sister."

"I'm sorry if I woke her." Snowstar started to back out of the den.

Goldheart narrowed her eyes. "No. This little one should have already been asleep, but she's been keeping me up all afternoon while I've been trying to get some sleep."

"Well, I need to get going anyways. Goodbye, Goldheart."

"Goodbye, Snowstar."


	10. Chapter 8

Barktail lifted her head and looked around the warriors den. All the cats were sound asleep, except for her. It was time, time to escape, time to leave. The she-cat prodded Blackstripes with her forepaw and waited until he lifted his head and looked at her.

"What is it? Is it dawn yet?" He asked in a sleepy voice, yawning after he spoke.

Barktail shook her head and whispered, "No. It's time to leave, now."

The tom sat up and looked around. Making sure none of the other warriors woke up, Blackstripes flicked his tail for the young brown tabby to follow him outside. Once they were out of the den, Blackstripes trotted over to the camp entrance and disappeared into the forest, Barktail on his heels. The two padded down the trail and stopped at the sandy shore of the river. The water was calm at this time of the night and the full moon shone down on the swaying waters, making the pebbles on the bottom of it shine brightly one by one. Blackstripes leaped onto a rock that stood looking over the river that flowed softly downward until it came to a waterfall. the tom padded from one boulder to another, Barktail trying to follow his pace. The waterfall started to grow louder and louder until Barktail could see it from where she stood. She had never been here before: it was definitely not part of the territory. There was a long stretch of rock that was on the edge of the waterfall and went downwards with it, and at the point where it fell Blackstripes stopped and sat next to the loud water, though Barktail could barely hear it for some reason.

"Sit here." Blackstripes pointed his tail for Barktail to sit in front of him. The she-cat sat and Blackstripes began. "I have to tell you something. I am apart of a prophecy, and so is your sister. You know the two warriors we brought back the other day? Well, apparently Snowstar and I use to be different cats. Our names were Snowfire and Blackstripes, and those cats are the kits that Snowfire and Blackstripe had. There was also a prophecy about them, but I can't go into that right now. The thing is, I have to stay here. I can't go to FireClan. If you do find it, the kits will be great there, and you can say to them that their father use to be a FireClan cat, but just don't tell them about what Clan they are really from."

Barktail gasped. "But... But you promised! You promised that you would always be there for the kits, you can't just go back on your word! What kind of a father are you, telling me that these kits should never know their real father and what their Clan really is!" She hissed before leaping off the rock and bounding away through the trees, the gaze of Blackstripes on her.

* * *

Barktail pushed away a fern branch. It was dawn already and she had been traveling since moonhigh. She didn't even want to think about the fight she had had with Blackstripes. She just wanted to find FireClan and get out of her misery. Her belly ached already, and she felt as if she was ready to burst. She hadn't realized how big she had grown since a week ago. How could the kits come so soon? It was like magic had made the kits grow so fast, but Barktail knew there was no such thing as magic. The dark brown tabby she-cat pushed away another fern branch. It felt like it was taking forever, until...

"Who goes there!" the voice of a tom came from the other side of a fern bush in front of Barktail. She was saved!

Another voice sounded. "It smells like a she-cat, one thats expecting kits."

Suddenly two toms, one dark gray and the other a sandy brown came out of the bush and stood in front of Barktail. The gray tom stepped forward. "I am Whisperclaw, and this is my Clanmate, Dustflight. We come from FireClan. We scented you, and we have come to help you to our camp." the he flicked his tail at her belly. "I see you are going to have kits very soon, maybe tonight. Our medicine cat Suncloud can take care of you and help you out a little."

Barktail nodded slowly and followed the two toms. They brought her to an arch made of bramble, just like the one back at her old camp, and had her go through first. Inside was a clearing, and the perimeter was tons of dens. She could see three old looking cats sitting outside a large comfortable looking den: they were obviously the elders. Outside the den next to it were two toms sitting on either side of the entrance of the den: Barktail guessed that was Flamestar's den. The other dens looks very nice and comfortable, big enough to fit all of SnowClan in. The two toms escorted Barktail over to Flamestar's den and Whisperclaw slipped inside.

When he emerged again, behind him was a dark ginger tom with a long fluffy tail and blue eyes, along with black paws. He was muscular and his eyes were sharp, peering at Barktail as he emerged from the den. He stood to face her and Dustflight left, leaving the cats alone, with of course the guards who narrowed their eyes at Barktail.

"Tell me your name, rogue." he meowed steadily.

Barktail backed away slightly. "M-my name is Barktail, sir, and I am sorry if I disturbed you."

The big toms eyes grew soft with love, and he chuckled a little. "No need to be afraid, Barktail. My name is Flamestar. You have a name like a warrior. Tell me, are you from any other Clan, or should I say, were you from any other Clan?"

"Yes, sir." Barktail meowed. "I come from a Clan called SnowClan, lead by my sister Snowstar. My mother's name is Sasha and my father's is Tigerstar-"

"Tigerstar, you say, is your father?" The ginger tom growled the name. "He was my brother, at one point. When I was born my mother Leapardfoot didn't think I was any good to be in the Clan and cast me out, along with Mistheart and Nightflight, who became warriors of FireClan, who took us in."

Barktail was shocked. She had never heard of any of her kin, except for Hawkfrost, Mothwing, Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw, but other than them, she had never her of any other. But she changed the subject. "So, when my kits come, will I have to leave, or can I stay?" she asked.

Flamestar narrowed his eyes. "No cat will be turned out of my sight, not when I'm leader of my Clan. I think you should become a warrior of this Clan. Tell me, who is the father?"

The she-cat stiffened, but let herself loosen up a bit. "Umm, just a tom from SnowClan named Blackstripes, thats all."

"Hmm. Well, will he be joining you at all?" Flamestar asked.

"No, not at all. Actually, I am suppose to tell the kits their father is some other cat in this Clan, and that they are full blooded FireClan."

Flamestar looked over at Whisperclaw, who nodded, then looked back at the young she-cat. "Well, when the kits come, there will be a tom you have to choose and that tom will have to know the truth. Anyways, how about you go and rest in the nursery for a while. Mintpool can make you a nest."

Barktail dipped her head to the leader and followed Whisperclaw over to the nursery where a red she-cat twitched her whiskers to Barktail. "Hello. How about we make you a nest. Come with me and I will show you where you can find one."

The young she-cat nodded and followed the older cat into the nursery.

* * *

"Barktail." Barktail looked up and saw that she was no longer in the FireClan nursery, but in the StarClan forest. She looked around and saw Nightpelt watching her from under a giant oak tree.

"Barktail, your kits will come soon because StarClan needed you to become deputy fast. The kits will grow faster than you can believe, and I shall help them. They will come tomorrow night. You must tell them their father is Whisperclaw, then once they have become apprentices, you can become a warrior and have an apprentice of your own, which will lead you to becoming deputy." Nightpelt meowed before disappearing.


	11. Chapter 9

"I thought I heard voices over there, Snowstar." Redpelt nodded over towards where the river was.

Snowstar had heard voices in the middle of the night, then to discover it was Barktail and Blackstripes. She had gone to get Redpelt and Blueheart, who quickly helped her in finding out what was going on. They were now in the middle of the forest heading down to the river where the two warriors had gone.

The white leader nodded and followed her deputy down the path. They emerged to see Barktail and Blackstripes padding on the boulders that lay on the edge of the river water, the two cats leaping from rock to rock. She watched as her sister struggled to stay close to the warrior. She noticed that her sister's belly was weighing her down, since it was so big. Had she been stealing food from the fresh-kill pile lately? Snowstar and her warriors followed them until they got to the waterfall at the end of the river. She saw her sister sit in front of the tom as they sat on the edge of the rock.

"Barktail, there is something you need to know. Your sister and I are apart of a prophecy, and you know those to new warriors? Well, they are the daughter and son of two cats named Snowfire and Blackstripe, and your sister and I are their reincarnation. So, I can't go with you." he meowed as fast as he could.

Barktail took a step backward. "But, you, you promised! you promised that you would stay with me and the kits and help find FireClan!"

Blackstripes looked down. "I'm sorry. When you find FireClan, tell the kits that they are the children of one of the toms of that Clan. You have to keep our life a secret."

"What!" Barktail stood up. "What kind of a father are you, backing down on your word?" And with that the dark brown tabby leaped off the rock and raced into the forest entrance that led away from the camp.

Snowstar couldn't stand where she was any longer. She leaped out of the bush and raced at Blackstripes, who looked at Snowstar in suprise. 'Snowstar!" he yowled as she rammed into him, knocking him off the rock. The two battered on the ground, Snowstar fighting for revenge for her sister, Blackstripes fighting to keep himself alive.

The white leader felt teeth clamp into her scruff and she was pulled away from Blackstripes, who got to his paws and hissed. Snowstar stood up and faced Redpelt, who wasted no time to speak. "I was helping you, Snowstar!" she hissed. "You could have been killed, in your condition! I couldn't just watch you fight him when he was going for your neck with a killing bite."

Snowstar turned to Blackstripes. "We heard what you told my sister. You betray her, and you tried to kill your own leader!" then she gestered to Redpelt and Blueheart with her tail. "Both of you, take him back to camp and guard him in the prisioner den. Also, make sure he doesn't try to play with the kits."

Blueheart hesitated, but Redpelt nudged her and she quickly lead Blackstripes, with Redpelt behind them both, back up the hill. Snowstar looked back over at where her sister had disapeared. Why had her sister betray her by taking Blackstripes on as a mate?

* * *

"Barktail, wake up." Barktail slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see Hollyflower, one of the other queens expecting kits looking at her.

Barktail looked around the nursery and then blinked up at Hollyflower. "What's going on, Hollyflower?"

The queen twitched her whiskers. "I've heard somethings about you and Whisperclaw."

"What about us?" the new queen sat up and the other she-cat got into her nest which was sitting across from her own.

"I've heard from my mate, Mountainhawk, that Whisperclaw likes you." she meowed, twitching her whiskers.

Barktail's eyes widened. "What? But, we're just friends! He isn't my mate, if that's what you think, even though if we were our kits would be part ThunderClan, part FireClan and part rogue."

Hollyflower, who was a dark brown long haired she-cat with green eyes, twitched her tail. "You're part ThunderClan? Thats so cool!" she mewed, her eyes growing wide with wonder. "Did you ever see ThunderClan?" she asked.

Barktail shook her head. "No, my father is from that Clan, or should I say was from it. He's dead now..."

Hollyflower's eyes lowered in despair. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask so many questions."

"No," Barktail pushed away memories of the small sights of her father who had once in a while come to see her mother, just not often. "I never liked him anyways. My mother, Sasha, never let me and my sister see him. We were always hidden somewhere safe, though I did get a few shots at him."

"Hmm, I don't know how you feel." Hollyflower meowed. "Anyways, I think Flamestar wanted to hold a meeting sometime soon. We better not be late."

The two queens stepped out of their warm nests and padded out of the nusery into the cold clearing. It was dawn now, the sun still rising slowly. The fresh-kill pile had only a mouse, a vole, and a couple of moles: the dawn patrol hadn't dropped anything in yet. Barktail went over with her friend to take the vole from the pile to share with Hollyflower. The queen nodded and they shared it just next to the other peices of prey.

"Let all cats old enought o catch their own prey meet here below me for a meeting of the Clan!" Flamestar yowled from above his den, which was just a rock cave.

The Clan started to gather, and the dawn patrol was just coming in from it's hunt. Barktail could see Whisperclaw in the group, who looked over at Barktail for a second before dropping his contrubition into the pile and padding over to the she-cat. She dipped her head to the older warrior before sitting down next to him and to Hollyflower who was joined by her mate Mountainhawk. The two mates touched noses and then looked up at Flamestar, who waited until everyone was seated before starting to speak.

"Cats of FireClan, I have an announcment to make!" he yowled. "Barktail, the new warrior of our Clan and the new mother, has decided to join FireClan." then he flicked his tail for her to come up to him. She pushed her way through the crowd and leaped onto the den next to Flamestar, who looked over at her with his eyes gleaming. "Barktail, do you wish to uphold the warrior code and protect your Clan for the rest of your life?"

"I do." she mewed as loud as she could.

Flamestar went on. "Then from this day forth, Barktail, you will be afficially known as Barktail of FireClan!"

"BARKTAIL! BARKTAIL!" the Clan cried out her name, and she leaped off the den and bounded over to Whisperclaw. He licked her on her cheek.

"I love you." he meowed softly in her ear, and she shivered with bitterness. What was happening with Blackstripes right now? How was she going to keep the secret from her kits? Just then she felt a sharp pain in her belly.

Whisperclaw noticed it at once. "Mintpool!" he yowled for the medicine cat, who rushed out of her den and ran over to Barktail.

"Get her into the nusery, fast!" she growled at the tom who did as he was told. The rest of the Clan turned and watched as Barktail was being helped into the nusery. Flamestar leaped off his den and ran over to his niece.

"Don't worry, Barktail," he meowed to her. "Mintpool will take care of you."

Barktail nodded and disapeared into the nusery with Whisperclaw and Mintpool.

And hour later...

Barktail looked down at her daughter and son. Her son was a dark brown tabby like her, but her daughter was a black. The tom had green eyes just like his father, Blackstripes. She looked up at her new mate. "This one," she pointed to the tom, "Will be named Skykit, for he looks like a tree that touches the sky." then she ointed at the she-kit. "And this one will be named Thornkit. She acts like a thorn that gets into my fur."

Whisperclaw twitched his whiskers in amusment. "They are perfect, my mate."

Barktail looked up at him. "Will you tell them you are their father, please?"

Whisperclaw curled up next to her and touched his nose with hers. "Anything for you, my love."


	12. Chapter 10

Barktail watched as her kits woke up to the early dawn sun. They were now three moons old, already eating fresh-kill and playing outside with the other kits. Barktail was still working on finding out what she was to do here in FireClan, but the kits kept getting in the way so much that she was about to fall apart and give up. Nightpelt hadn't come to her since the night she had arrived in her new Clan, and Barktail was trying to figure out things.

Skykit slowly opened his green eyes and looked up at his mother, his small mouth opening in a huge yawn. "Mother," he mewed, still yawning. "Is it dawn yet?"

Barktail nodded. "Yes, my love. It is. I think Hollyflower's kits are waking up." she flicked her tail at the black queen, who had been watching Barktail since she had awoken, her kits squirming as they woke to the early morning.

Hollyflower prodded her only she-kit softly, the small kit waking up and looking into her mother's huge eyes. "Wake up, Shiverkit. It's time to wake up. You too, Dewkit and Coldkit." she prodded her two other kits, both of them silvery gray with white muzzles and black paws. Shiverkit was a bright silver she-kit with blue eyes, along with her brothers. The two toms looked around and, once they saw Skykit awake, they started squealing excitedly.

"Skykit, Skykit!" Dewkit leaped out of his nest and bounded over to Barktail's nest. "Is Thornkit awake?"

Barktail looked at her black daughter, who was breathing softly. She looked up at the kits. "No. Let her sleep. You can go out and play, just keep out of the warrior's den, Skykit. I don't want Thornscar snarling at us again." The brown kit nodded and pounced out of the den, Dewkit and Coldkit on his heels.

"Go on, Shiverkit." Hollyflower prodded her small she-kit with her nose. "You should go out and play too, to warm up."

Shiverkit shivered, but stayed put. "No. I want to wait until Thornkit wakes up so we can go explore together."

Barktail and Hollyflower looked at each other, and Hollyflower twitched her whiskers in amusment. "Alright, dear. You can wait until Thornkit wakes."

The brown queen looked down at her daughter again. The small she-kit was almost half her brother's size, breathing shallower and shallower by the second. Just as Barktail thought her daughter was going to start waking up, her worst fears sprung up. Thornkit stopped breathing.

"Thornkit!" the mother yowled for her kit to wake up, shaking her violently. "Breath! Come on, breath!"

Hollyflower gasped, then darted out of the nusery, yowling Mintpool's name. In a heartbeat the black she-cat returned with the gray medicine cat, who took Thornkit out of the nest by her scruff. Barktail felt tears run down her face, her fear for her kit flooding from her. Hollyflower came over to the crying queen and comforted her. Whisperclaw rushed into the nusery, his fur bristling.

"Barktail! What happened?" he meowed to his mate, who was still crying over her kit. "What happened to Thornkit?"

Barktail looked up, her tears flinging from her fur. "Whisperclaw, Thornkit stopped breathing. Then she went limp, and now I don't know what to do!"

Whisperclaw rubbed against his mate's cheek and hushed her. "Hush hush, now, my love. Everything will be alright, it will be alright."

But Barktail didn't beleive it. How could everything be so wrong, after Nightpelt had promised her a good life here. Nothing should have happened to her! Thornkit was dying, and Skykit might run away now that his sister was gone. And what would she do if she lost her son? Would she ever be happy again? The only thought she couldn't get out of her head was why would Nightpelt betray her?

Mintpool came into the den and Barktail looked up at the medicine cat who had her head held low. "Barktail, Hollyflower, go get some rest please." then she flicked her tail to Whisperclaw. "Come outside please. I need to tell you something."

The tom nodded and followed Mintpool out of the den, leaving Barktail and Hollyflower to sleep. The dark brown tabby she-cat put her head on her forepaws and let out a heaving sigh before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Barktail looked around. She was standing, not laying in her nest. She knew where she was. StarClan territory. The amber eyed cat's fur bristled as Nightpelt apeared from a bush in front of her.

"Nightpelt!" she hissed. "You lied to me!"

Nightpelt lashed her tail. "I did no such thing. I know what you think: you think I told you FireClan would be a perfect place. Well, I didn't. I only said that it would be a place where you could be with your kits, and that you needed to go and become the leader of that Clan."

Barktail snarled at her. "My kit might die because of you!"

Just as she said that, a figure apeared beside Nightpelt. It was a kit, small and black with green eyes. Barktail gasped in horror: this was Thornkit, her daughter. The small kit stepped forward and dipped her head to her mother.

"Don't worry mother. Everything will be alright." she mewed quietly before fading away, leaving Barktail and Nightpelt.

Barktail looked back up at Nightpelt, who's eyes were flooded with sadness. "I'm sorry, my friend." she meowed softly, walking over to Barktail and putting her tail on the young mother. "But you must keep your other kit alive and safe. Skykit needs you now, more than ever. You need to never fear, young one. Never fear, for fear only brings more suffering."

Barktail pushed her muzzle into the black StarClan cat's shoulder fur and let herself cry into the waking world.

* * *

"Barktail." Barktail opened her eyes and looked up at Whisperclaw, who was standing above her with Mintpool behind him.

"Yes? Is it about Thornkit?" Barktail tried to hide the knoledge of her kit's death before it came out.

Mintpool stepped forward with a black bundle in her jaws. It was Thornkit. She dropped the kit at her paws, but before Barktail could start to mourn, the sound of a suprised mew came. It wasn't from Skykit: it was from Thornkit. Barktail struggled out of her nest and started to clean the kits fur, who looked up at her mother.

"Mum?" she mewed slowly before looking around as if she had never seen the nusery. "I thought I saw you in StarClan. You were there, and so was a strange black cat who you called Nightpelt."

Whisperclaw looked at Barktail, who looked at him, then at Mintpool. The tom looked back down at his kit. "You are in the nusery, in FireClan, remember? You almost died, but Mintpool saved you."

Barktail looked at the medicine cat. "Thank you, for everything. You saved my kit's life." The medicine cat dipped her head to the queen before leaving the nursery.

The brown queen looked at her mate, but in the corner of her eye she saw Flamestar come into the nursery, his pelt weighed down in water. "What happened to you?" she asked him.

The leader shook his pelt. "I fell into the river, and just as I did I heard what happened to Thornkit. Is she alright now?"

Barktail nodded with Whisperclaw. "Yes, she's fine." But something inside of her felt as if nothing was fine.

Flamestar nodded and padded out of the den. Barktail touched her mate's nose with her's before he left the den, leaving Hollyflower, Shiverkit (who had been shivering with fear for her friend the whole time) and Thornkit. Skykit rushed in with Dewkit and Coldkit on his heals. Skykit leaped into his nest while the other two kits jumped into theirs and curled up to sleep. Barktail looked at her kit, who had mud on his paws and the tip of his tail was wet. She shook her head in amusment and curled up tighter to sleep.

* * *

At the time when Thornkit had past to StarClan then came back, Snowstar had been having a bit of trouble deciding on what to do with her Clan. She had called a meeting to catch up on some things with her warriors and apprentices.

"Cats of SnowClan!" she yowled to her Clan. "Today, we have four apprentices ready to earn their warrior names. Scratchpaw, Fallingpaw, Twitchpaw and Blazepaw please come forth." the apprentices leaped onto Highrock with Snowstar, and the leader touched Fallingpaw's shoulder with her tail. "I, Snowstar, leader of SnowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of this Clan, and to learn your code and how to hunt in snow, and they are ready to become warriors of SnowClan." then she looked at Fallingpaw and her brothers. "Do you, Fallingpaw, Twitchpaw, Blazepaw and Scratchpaw wish to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." they each said at the same time.

Snowstar twitched her whiskers in amusment. "Then from this day forth, Fallingpaw, you will be known as Fallingleaf, Blazepaw, you will be known as Blazeclaw, Twitchspark, and Scratchpaw, you will be known as Scratchstorm. StarClan honors you and your enterprise to become new warriors of my Clan."

"FALLINGLEAF! BLAZECLAW! TWITCHSPARK! SCRATCHSTORM!" the Clan yowled out the names as the new warrior leaped off Highrock and padded to their former mentors.

Snowstar flicked her tail for the Clan to be silent, and she went on with the meeting. "Also, there are two kits here ready to become apprentices. Windkit and Rosekit, please come forth." the two sisters padded up proudly, their tails waving slowly behind them excitedly. Once they had gotten up to Highrock, Snowstar continued. "Twitchspark, you have shown that you are ready for an apprentice even though you just became a warrior. I hope you will pass your knoledge on to Windpaw." The new warrior padded up to his new apprentice and touched noses with her. "Redpelt, you have not had an apprentice before, so I hope you will pass on your knolege of hunting and training on to Rosepaw." The new apprentice touched noses with her mentor and they padded off together into the forest, along with Twitchspark and Windpaw. Snowstar flicked her tail at the Clan. "This meeting is dismissed."

The leader jumped off Highrock and went to get a peice of fresh-kill from the pile. Along the way she started to think about why her sister had vanished that one night. Why had Barktail left, and where did she go? How could she keep a secret from her sister?

**And that is the end of The Dream of Sisters: The Choice of Sisters: Book 1! The next one will be longer, let me ashure you. I just had a little dificulty trying to find a way to keep this one up. Keep watch for the next book called The Dream of Sisters: The Journey!**


	13. FireClan Allegiances

**Hey everyone! If you haven't noticed, I never really put in anything for FireClan into the allegiences, so here it is! If you have any comments on warrior you would like me to add, please PM me and I will get right back to you. Thanks!**

**-Goldmoonrider**

FireClan

Leader: Flamestar - dark ginger tom with blue eyes

Deputy: Thornscar - dark brown tom with amber eyes and black paws and underbelly

Apprentice: Rockpaw

Medicine Cat: Mintpool - dappled gray she-cat with pale blue eyes

Warriors:

Whisperclaw - dark gray tom with black paws and muzzle (Becomes Barktail's new mate when she joins)

Dustflight - dusty ginger tom (Whisperclaw's brother)

Mountainhawk - brown tom with blue eyes

Apprentice: Hawkpaw

Grayfur - gray tom

Borageleaf - light gray she-cat with green eyes

Burdockroot - ginger tom

Gingerroot - ginger she-cat with orange-amber eyes

Apprentice: Shypaw

Bluesky - blue-gray she-cat

Risingstorm - gray tom (Bluesky's brother)

Woodclaw - brown she-cat with black stripes

Brackenpelt - bright ginger tom with blue eyes

Brightfur - ginger she-cat (Brackenpelt's sister)

Apprentices:

Shypaw - gray-white she-cat with blue eyes

Rockpaw - gray tom (Shypaw and Hawkpaw's brother)

Hawkpaw - dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Queens:

Barktail - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Skykit (dark brown tabby tom) and Thornkit (black she-cat with green eyes), formerly of SnowClan)

Hollyflower - black she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Mountainhawk's kits Shiverkit (blue-gray she-cat), Dewkit (gray tom) and Coldkit (cloudy white tom with blue eyes)

Elders:

Blackwhisker - black tom with black whiskers

Greengrass - dark brown tabby tom

**If you have any suggestions for cats, please tell me and I will put them in when I can, thanks! -Goldmoonrider**


End file.
